Illinois Nightlife

located in the 96th floor of the john Hancock Center in the Magnificent Mile and is one of the most spectacular and romantic views around the city of chicago and lake michigan aroundso it is ideal for romantic dates or proposal but even for just chit chat and hanging around. For the price of a trip to the John Hancock tower observatory ($15, two...

The UP Comedy Club is in the same building as Second City. I had been seeing discounted tickets for "What the Tour Guide Didn't Tell You" for months and we finally booked tickets through Hottix for a Thursday night.
The space holds 285 people, on a Thursday night it was not crowded but there was a decent size crowd of people considering it wasn't...

If you want to feel Al Capone's spirit, then The Green Mill is where you want to go!
The Green Mill is one of Chicago's oldest jazz clubs (opened in 1907). It used to be own by "Machine Gun", Al Capone's right-hand man. Al Capone used to hang out there all the time, too!
I had an amazing time there. As soon as you enter, it's as if you're back...

There are some really great jazz and blues bars in Chicago. Love Chicago! They have quite a tradition of great blues and jazz clubs, most any bar in Chicago has an outside option, but unless it's warm out they may not have the porch open. But most any of these bars are exquisite.
I hope you have a great time in Chicago, it's a gorgeous, friendly,...

After our evening outing to the Chicago White Sox-New York Yankees baseball game ended, the group decided they wanted to sample a bit of Chicago's nightlife - so I went along for the ride too. A couple of the group knew that the House of Blues would be a good spot to check out on a Wednesday night so it wasn't long before we arrived in a taxi. I...

Back in August I went to Underground and had a great time. I met Miss March and Miss May of Playboy, a few Chicago Bears players, and wouldnt you know it but the guy with us coming in would later jump on a small stage and rock the place out- it was Mike Posner. I took a photo with my phone.
I think this might be the place to be in Chicago, given...

I've seen some great concerts in my life:
*The Pixies at the Lexington Ballroom shortly before they opened for U2 on their Zooropa Tour.
*Jane's Addiction & The Rollins Band in Huntington the spring before they started their first ever Lollapalooza gigs.
*PiL (fronted by ex-Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten AKA John Lydon) opening for INXS at Louisville...

This is Chicago's oldest Blues bar. Opened in 1979 in Halstead and with music every night. A great night if your into Blues. The bar is small so its good to get there early. You can wear whatever you like. Pretty laid back in this club, dressing up would look out of place.

If you want the real thing in an authentic blues club then go no farther. Yes, their is a B.B. King club and a Buddy Guy club in downtown Chicago but, Kingston Mines is the real deal. Kingston Mines is located at 2548 N. Halsted St. which is about 1 or 2 miles from central downtown. They have great bands here and at many times they have 2 bands...

A friendly place, with great music and musicians, that's a lot more impressive inside than it shabby exterior suggests. Owned by the Blues legend Buddy Guy, the club gets rave reviews from the locals, and is arguably the best Blues club in the city. It's about 10 or 15 bucks for a night of Blues music, but you can turn up earlier in the day and...

Watching movies at the local multiplex gets less and less appealing every time I go, the screens are getting smaller and smaller, people talk during the whole movie. But here are a few suggestions for some out of the ordinary places to see films in Chicago:
The Music Box Theater, 3733 N. Southport, is a great place to see classic, independent and...

To see what is currently playing, check the Broadway in Chicago website
The Palace Theater was originally opened as a vaudeville theater in 1926, later uses include a movie house, a banquet hall and a rock venue. It was beautifully restored in 1999 as a theater for Broadway type shows. Many of them come to Chicago to test the waters before they...

an amazing building called "the Wonder Theatre of the World" when it opened on October 26, 1921. No dress code but NO backpacks or other large bags allowed into the auditorium. All such items must be checked. Smaller purses are allowed into the auditorium. Coats and bags can be checked for $1 per item.

Andy's Jazz Club is a great place for people who enjoy live music. It's perfectly located, too, and there's always a great gig to catch any day and/or any night of the week. They charge a small fee at the door like any other club but it's worth it. You can just sit at the bar or you can book a table for dinner. There are always wonderful bands and...

We stumbled across this little piano bar while walking around one night and decided to stop in for a drink. We arrived about an hour before the piano player arrived so it was pretty dead when we got there... not for long though. There was no cover charge, but you were required to check your coat for $2 per coat (including furs) which was a great...

It's commercial, it's slick, and it's definitely for River North or Michigan Avenue yuppies, but the Lucky Strike is still an entertaining and efficient place for a meet-up, an after-movie drink, or a quick few strikes and spares on a dull Wednesday. Good bar menu: really excellent macaroni and cheese. Of course, it has as much Chicago feel to it...

One of The Popular Brazilian Restaurants cum Bars in Chicago, this review is for it's Bar and the other review will be at the restaurants tips. Brazzaz has an extensive wine collection and assorted cocktails and local craft and domestic plus international beers, their special cocktail is the Capoerinha which costs $ 10 a glass and the local beers...

One of the most famous blues club in Chicago (The Shirley Johnson Blues Band plays here a lot). At $10 for weekend and $8 cover for week nights, it's not a bad price! And if you consider that one admission fee covers this club and its sister club Blue Chicago then that is a fantastic deal indeed for a city that harbors the Blues!
This blues club...

Today, I received an e-mail on VT from Marilyn Harris thanking me for my review!
On Sunday evening, June 11, 06, Allan & I accompanied Eric's Mother, Step-father, Uncle, & Aunt to the Old Bohemian neighborhood on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. 7:00 pm at Davenport's Cabaret we heard jazz singer, Marilyn Harris, perform. She was on a tour to promote...

With the name "Hop Haus," I was really hoping that this would a serious beer-lovers place, a downtown equivalent (perhaps) of the Hopleaf, on Clark in Andersonville, or the Map Room in Wicker Park. But no. The draft beer selection is really not that great, and the atmosphere is suburban-generic sports-bar, acceptable for a TGIFridays, but falling...

Last visit December 2014 to see "Twist Your Dickens or Scrooge You!"
I've now been in both of the theaters here, the Albert and the Owen, the Albert is the bigger theater where they show "A Christmas Carol" every year. When we saw "Animal Crackers" at the Albert we had seats in the middle of row DD in the balcony, I prefer to be a bit closer than...

Head down to Navy Pier during the summer on Wednesday & Saturday nights to view free fireworks with your family! They even have shows through October for Halloween and few in December for Santa's arrival and NYE (check out the schedule listed below).
Fireworks last only about 15 minutes and start at 10:15pm on Saturdays, 9:30pm Wednesdays and...

Various different people have said to me that the liveliest place for nightlife in Chicago is the block near Rush and Division Sts. I took a look there and there's a block of around 10 bars all packed right next to each other. There are also other places dotted around that area. It is very much a 20something crowd with the exception that I seen...

We had a great time here! I thought I’d list the top ten reasons why we will return, and you should visit:
1. This is a great spot to meet local people that are friendly and down to earth.
2. It is a small and cozy venue.
3. There is never a cover.
4. Drinks are inexpensive, like $4.50 vodka tonics.
5. Monday is “Open Mic Night”. Beginning at...

To see what is currently playing, check the Broadway in Chicago website listed below.
The Oriental Theater was built in 1926 as a movie palace, like the nearby Palace theater it has been renovated into a theater for Broadway type productions and reopened October, 1998.
The theater seats 2,200, at one time we had a subscription package that gave...

This is one of the coolest nightspots in the entire city. What makes it so interesting is not the flashing lights or its sheik interior, but the people that hang out there.
Pimps, Playaz and Muthaf@$#az are what you will encounter when chilling at this local club. Although the word pimp gets thrown around a lot, I can assure you that in every...

My all time favorite place to hang around and lounge around due mainly to the pretty, scantically clad and well endowed Hooters girls! pun was intended so thanks to the founders of hooters, the six clearwater florida enterprenuers, Lynn Stewart, Gil DiGiannantonio, Ed Droste, Billy Raneiri, Ken Wimmer, Dennis Johnson! Cheers to you all for this...

We had nightcaps at Whiskey Blue the both nights we stayed at the W City Center. It was pretty quiet on Friday nigh but it was a little more crowded on Saturday. As with all things associated with any W Hotel, it was sleek, dark and very Euro. Not the kind of place I'd like to spend an entire evening at but it was a fun people watching spot!
We...

Designed and built in Ireland, the bar was shipped to America in several different pieces. The downstairs area is scattered across nooks and crannies around a central bar (Chicago Magazine says "call it Planet Ireland"), upstairs there's a much larger room, and a great Victorian-style pub on the third floor, with a gorgeous bar (over a century old)...

Simply put, BEER, BEER and more BEER.
They usually have over 200 different beers (minimum)* from all over the world. And I mean even some of the small, remote microbreweries in Europe, South America and all over the states.
The walls are painted with a huge world map to give the place its name. Its just a pub, but can have a good lively crowd....

Formerly known as the famed Crazy Horse Too, Chicago's top spot for topless dancing and adult entertainment, is now VIP's: A Gentleman's Club. They recently were awarded the title of Best Gentleman's Club in the Midwest. Little as changed (though the corny Greek statues remain intact) and the interior decor reflects an executive boardroom, complete...

The Auditorium Theater, designed by architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, is known for its architectural integrity and perfect acoustics. I've been to this theater a couple of times to see "The Nutcracker" performed by the Joffrey Ballet at Christmas time, most recently in December 2012. We got our tickets on Goldstar at 1/2 price, because I...

A former site for a Handy Andy hardware store (40,000 square feet) has been transformed into a mini-Bourbon Street in the 'burbs. While the fire commissioner would never allow it, realistically this place can hold 6,600 customers at the same time.
The family-owned business includes a sports bar, restaurant, dance club and beer garden, which also...

One of the actors we worked with was starring at the Steppenwolf Theater, so we took time out one evening to see a production there. It's a prestigious theater, formed by great actors, such as a personal favourite of mine Gary Sinise. He continues to act there, supported by a whole spectrum of America's best acting talent, such as John Malkovich...

After the Touch & Go Festival's Saturday night wrapped up, we happened across Exit. What a great time? Great music. Pogo-ed through the bar to The Jam and got more drunk here than ever before in Chicago. Reports were that we left at 4.30. What a blast.

Excalibur at the corner of Ontario and Dearborn looks like a "real" Castle. It is newly remodeled and features three distinct areas within the building.
The Cabaret...
This area features a new fun format with performing DJ's, classic tunes, and dancing.
Open: 365 days a year
Club X...
Three floors of high-energy dance. A LOUD new sound system,...

When you step into the Red Lion Pub, it feels exactly like the pubs found throughout England. This is not a place to meet your next boyfriend or girlfriend, but pull a seat up at the bar and within minutes you will likely be engaged in the topic of the hour. It's a perfect meeting place because you won't feel strange waiting there alone. There are...

Famed for the stomping grounds of the Chicago Bulls (Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen) and the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, the United Center is a HUGE venue also sponsoring concerts (Beyoncé, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, and Green Day are upcoming shows) and comedians (I recently attended the Dane Cook show here which looked nearly sold out).
Walking out...

The Royal George Theater is in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, there are several theater spaces that comprise the Royal George.
Our most recent visit was in November 2011 to see The Doyle & Debbie Show which is on an open run in the Cabaret Theater, it's a funny spoof of country music, I thought it was hysterical so you definitely don't need...

Restaurant 22 & Bar Moderne, known by many as Room 22, is a restaurant-turned-nightclub after 11pm on Thursdays to Saturdays. The DJs do a great job playing mostly house and hip hop. The bouncers were cool and didn't reek of attitude like at many other places in the city.
The interior is great - wood floors, dark colors, soft, dim lighting. Drink...

Both are great bars and I had a lot of fun in both.
Beautiful girs...many of them
Mechanical Bull in Hogs
Girls on bars flashing for beads
Great dance floor in Tequilla Roadhouse
Absolutly a great time for all, I had too much fun...maybe. But a great place to go to drink, have fun, and be marry. I'd recommend both these clubs for anyone. No...

Crocodile Lounge is located in the hip area of Chicago a.k.a Wicker Park. Crocodile Lounge is a place where loads is happening, even on a Sunday night: hip-hop open mics, rap battles, live music of all genres, freelance artists working on their paintings/artworks... They make great drinks too (including cotton candy fishbowls!). And, for every...

This is one of the good guys. While my wife was out shopping, I was all alone in Chicago. Lucky for me, I found this place to pass a few hours. This guy looked after me and kept me topped up with wine until my wife had finished spending all our money.
If you read this, cheers for a great afternoon!

Timmy O'Tooles is a must for any Chicago St. Patrick's Day. Unfortunately, the tables fill up quickly with people coming from the parade and river dyeing. They have just about any irish beer you can imagine and plenty of locals enjoying their annual day long drink fest. Come for a while, have a beer and a few laughs, then move on to one of the many...

Classic Northside Chicago Irish Tavern, close to DePaul University, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville. The building dates to 1890 and retains many interesting features of its time. Handsome bar and a decent pubfood menu. Bills itself as a "Michigan State" Bar, so if you are a Spartan fan this is the place for you!